{"id":2303,"date":"2016-12-13T15:23:29","date_gmt":"2016-12-13T21:23:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/twprod.wpengine.com\/how-to-get-more-instagram-likes-with-posts-that-fly-not-die\/"},"modified":"2025-06-29T20:29:38","modified_gmt":"2025-06-30T02:29:38","slug":"how-to-get-more-instagram-likes-with-posts-that-fly-not-die","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tailwindapp.com\/blog\/how-to-get-more-instagram-likes-with-posts-that-fly-not-die","title":{"rendered":"How to Get More Instagram Likes \u2014 The Do’s and Don’ts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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Professional Instagram marketers will tell you that they can usually tell in the first five minutes whether an Instagram post will perform well or not \u2014 whether that post will fly or die.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Instagram algorithm favors posts that get a lot of likes and comments quickly, and it shows those post to more of the account’s followers, and potentially in the “top posts” section of hashtag feeds.  By contrast if you post a lot of images that get very few likes, your account may be throttled back by the algorithm, and your future posts shown to fewer of your followers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So yes, that post you’re about to post matters, in fact EVERY post matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In this blog post we’ll unpack the mystery of what makes Instagram posts fly instead of die.  We’ll go in-depth into some of the most viral Instagram posts from Tailwind<\/a> members over the past month, and some of the least viral, to uncover 11 actionable tips that you can use to get more likes on your Instagram posts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Would You Want to Get More Instagram Likes?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Likes (and comments) feed the Instagram algorithm.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  • If a high percentage of the people who see your post like it, Instagram will show it to more of your followers.  A virtuous circle.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • If you consistently get low engagement (likes and comments) on your posts then your subsequent posts will show for less of your followers, and likely get even less engagement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • The speed at which you accumulate likes is an important factor in the Instagram algorithm, and may be the deciding factor in whether one of your posts shows up in the “top posts” section for a hashtag.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Comments are important to the Instagram algorithm too.  You can find out how to get more Instagram Comments<\/a> in our companion blog post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How to Get More Instagram Likes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The Do’s<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    1. Capture natural beauty<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Allow your audience to project themselves into your images<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Create a sense of wonder<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. Rally support<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    5. Stand for something<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    6. Be funnier (than usual)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    7. Tell a story<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    8. Enlist the right celebrity for the job<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    9. Anthropomorphize (attribute human personality to something that isn’t human)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    10. Ace the trend<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    11. Do the (seemingly) impossible<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      How to Get Fewer Instagram Likes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      The Don’ts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      1. Don’t be abstruse (overtly complicated, like that choice of word)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      2. Don’t take the focus off your audience<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      3. Don’t let the mundane look mundane<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      4. Don’t appear impersonal<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      5. Don’t be a downer (womp womp)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      6. Don’t make liking into a moral choice (Can I “like” divorce?)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      7. Don’t break the illusion (keep it aspirational)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      8. Don’t make your appeal too specific<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      9. Don’t make your visuals overly complicated<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      10. Don’t worry if your promotional posts get fewer likes (they will)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      11. Don’t stray too far off message<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

        We condensed 12 months of research on Instagram into under an hour for this Instagram Marketing 101 webinar<\/strong><\/a>. If you’re looking to learn everything you need to know about Instagram marketing in under an hour, you’ll love this webinar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Awesome Examples from Tailwind Members:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

        1a. Capture Natural Beauty<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

        This Post Got Likes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        This Instagram post by @southernliving got +57% more likes than their average post<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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        On the road again ?@alx.martin #SLFall<\/a><\/p>\n

        A photo posted by Southern Living (@southernlivingmag) on